Gravity lock



P. SWANSON Nov. 1, 1927.

GRAVITY LOCK Filed May 21, I925 gwuenlioz F ha? \SM/A/VSON.

' a licat on med? Maya21,

invention relates to or,v holding I imeansgfor separable objects, and-refers parj ticularly to a gravity lock orcatchespe? cia llyjQgdesigned for; use upon I railroad duce an'efiicient lockor catchotth1s characteroperable by gravity, so as to avoid the necessity of springs or the like whichare not. 1 dependable. y L 1 Other objects and advantages of themvention will appear in the further descrip:

tionthereof; V j 'In the accompanying drawing, illustrative of one embodiment of the invention proved catch in its simplest formas applied 7 to a railroad switchstand handle;

Figure .2 is a vertical section through'a' slightly modified form of lock or catchillustrating the same as 'beingflho-used in and locking means applied thereto; while Figure 3 is a broken perspective view showing the locking means,'with the cover removed.

The necessity of a dependable lock or catch fora switch handle is well known to those versed in the art as well as the advantage of simplicity in constructiom to accomcplish which I have illustrated my improved catch as mountedjupon a metal plate illusdesiredmannerto the switch handle 2, the upper end of which is pivotally attached to the switch throwing mechanismf'above the v laterally protrudinglug 3 from the switch stand at, to which the handle is securely at tached whenthe switch is closed. The plate bracket 1 extends somewhat outwardly and upwardly from the handle where, it is bent laterally at right angles forming the two spaced lugs5 and 6 in which is pivotally mounted the horizontal arm- 7" of the catch ordog comprising said horizontal portion as I well as the other portions thereof indicated at 8, 9, 10,'and 11, the same being'ofa; single piece of round iron or steel; The twoportions 7 and 9 are substantially parallel though the latter somewhat shorter than the former and being spaced therefrom in an overhanging manner is constantly susceptible to the influence of gravity, and only prevented from normally remaining with the endor finger 11 normally impinging against 7 the-plate lfby a suitable lugl' or projection 12 formed either'upon the lower outer corner of the lug or upon thecorner of the covswitches; the principal object being to pro Figure 1 is'a perspective View of an im-;

trated at 1 which is bolted or riveted in any GRAVITY roc 1926. Serial No. 110,667. g

drawings; lherelation. between such lug and the portion 8 of the; dog isto. keep; the 0 a end-of the finger spacedislightly from 5 the f" frn'rint swimm r; armmsomigj;

outer surface of the plate 1 so that when the f handle 2 is thrust downwardly along saidg' lug 3 on the switch stand, which is provided with a suitableh-ole 14 for the reception ofthe finger 11, said finger will slip past the? chamfered. end of the lug 3 and be forced into the hole 14 by thegrav'itating'efiect of the dog. .To facilitate'this operationI pree H 17 fer also to chamfer or bevel the extreme end ot vthe finger 11 so that the motion'past the;

end of thelug 3 on the switch stand ,will ibel 'asvsmoothand graceful as possible.

By'such av simple attachment it is evidentthat the switch handle 2 cannot: be fully I closed without-the catch or'lock fun tioning,

lation of the locking dogi} and toassist in which fI have showna slight extension of i the inner end of the bent'portion ,8 as'at 15 forming a convenient thumb hold torraising the dog;

' and'c'an be only'opened by manual manipu 1 In .Figures 'Qhand 3 have illustrated means for holding or closing the Inajor'por- 1 tion of the catch anda locking device therefor, which embodies the forming of a flat side on theiportion 7 of the bolt orldogand directly above this portion' 'Tisa horizontal wall 17 spaced from thewall-18 and parallel therewith, between which two walls the lockingpawlor dog 19 is pivotally mountedas at 20, so that the treeend of it normally 1 tends to'dropin between the portion '7 of thebolt and the'wall18, which naturally takesplace, at any time the locking bolt is closed to locked position; this pawl also 0p: erating wholly by "gravity, To raise the pawl 19, as by the common key 21,'a key hole. 1 22 is. formed in the wall 18,; and a suit-J; able key .pin isattache'd to the wall 17; beneath the pawl 19 'and by insertion ofthe' key and turning'same' the lug, on the key will} engage the under side of thepawljand' raise it so that the-catch or lug may be opened; From the foregoing itis, evident that I have devised-an exceedingly 'simple 'lock orf catch for not only the purpose intended'by may be applied to various separable one that objects.

ent, is:

7 Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Pat 1. A catch of the character described'coin prising a support, a dog having a horizonrtal portion rotatably mounted within the 'support and a second. portion parallel with the rotatable portion and spaced therefrom cooperative member. a,

2. The combination with a switch stand having aipivotally mounted operating handle attached thereto and a lug projecting ,fIOlTl the/stand having a hole therein,'of a gravity lock attached to the handle for colocking the catch.

operative engagement With thehole in the lug. r

,3. The combination With a switch stand having a pivotally mounted operating han- 'dle attached thereto and a lug'projecting from the stand having a hole therein, of a gravity catch attached to the handle for cooperative engagementwith the hole in the lug, and gravity means for automatically In testimonyvv-he'r'e-oii' I hereunto 'aflix signature;

- rarer; sW'ANsoN; 

